No battle in the Great War is better known than the Battle of the Somme in 1916. At the time, its huge casualties made Britain realise that the war would be long and hard.

After the war, in the 1920s and 1930s, people came to believe that the losses at the Somme were unacceptable. Many thought that it was the result of incompetent officers who did not care about their men. In this case study you will see whether the original sources from the time support this view.

You will probably find it helpful to study the Background before you start looking at the sources. Use the Worksheet as you look through the sources. This will help you plan your research and think about how to present your findings.